The Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Evaluation (OIEE) created the following to aid instructors in selecting and/or designing assignments to assess Critical Thinking.
¹ 19 Tex. Admin. Code §4.28 (2021).
Definition
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board states that the Texas Core Curriculum objective of Critical Thinking is “to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information.”¹ Critical Thinking is a required learning objective for all core courses.¹ 19 Tex. Admin. Code §4.28 (2021).
Critical Thinking Rubric & Assignment Checklist
The Importance of Critical Thinking
- Over three quarters of employers consider critical thinking "very important" for strong applicants, highlighting its essential role in academic and professional success.¹
- Fosters independent thinking and the ability to question assumptions, which is crucial for navigating complex societal and professional challenges.
- Improves adaptability in a knowledge economy.²
- Bridges theoretical knowledge to real-world contexts, enhancing both understanding and practical impact.³
¹ American Association of Colleges & Universities. (2023). The career-ready graduate: What employers say about the difference college makes. https://dgmg81phhvh63.cloudfront.net/content/user-photos/Research/PDFs/AACU-2023-Employer-Report.pdf
² Lombardi, D. (2023). On the horizon: The promise and power of higher order, critical, and critical analytical thinking. Educational Psychology Review, 35(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09763-z
³ Stephen, J. S. (2024). Academic success in online programs: A resource for college students. Springer Texts in Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-54439-2
Best Practices for Assessing
- Share the rubric with students and highlight the components that should be included in the assignment.
- Clarify expectations using rubric-based guidance, e.g., create a plain-language guide that explains what a “high score” looks like on each dimension. Instructors can translate rubric language into discipline-specific expectations to make it more accessible.
- Embed critical thinking in a disciplinary context, rather than in isolation, to enhance transferability and relevance.
- Incorporate formative feedback to help students refine their reasoning processes and develop metacognitive awareness.¹
- Use reflective writing (e.g., journals and essays) to prompt students to articulate their thought processes, making their reasoning visible and accessible.²
Recommended Assignment Types
Individual student submissions of:- Performance-based assignments, such as case studies, debates, and problem-solving scenarios
- Complex or multi-step calculations
- Lab reports
- Informative or persuasive essays or presentations
- Academic research essays
- Reflection essays
¹ Halpern, D. F. (1993). Assessing the effectiveness of critical-thinking instruction. The Journal of General Education, 42(4), 238-254. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27797197
² Stephen, J. S. (2024). Academic success in online programs: A resource for college students. Springer Texts in Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-54439-2
